Unlike most bench testers which check individual components, 406Test.com allows you
test the entire ELT system, end to end. With the ELT connected to
the antenna and the switch, you will be able to tell if there are
any connection issues. In addition, you are testing the ELT through
the same satellite system that is used in case of an emergency.

The original ACR testing site is called http://www.406link.com/
which is designed for recreational beacon testing. It allows beacon
owners to test their beacon, send back an "I'm Ok" message,
and GPS coordinates (with select ACR beacons). One of our
major customers, a fleet operator with 150 aircraft, approached us
with some very specific requirements for ELT testing so we built a
new site specifically designed for that application.

With their help, we developed the www.406Test.com website. One of
their main requirements was to check the integrity of the entire
ELT system. They currently own a bench tester and have used it
extensively to test their beacons; however, one of their aircraft
crashed after they had passed the ELT through their standard
process but the ELT signal was not received. They found out that
they still had an antenna connection issue which did not allow the
signal to radiate even though the ELT was working properly. Since
then, they use our system to check all of the connections and to
verify the signal actually transmits through the antenna and up to
the satellite system.

406Test.com is a web
based program so there is no equipment to buy. You sign up for the
service online by entering your tail number, owner information,
A&P license information, ELT Hex ID, and facility. Once
everything is added, you then press the "Perform Test" button and
you have 48 hours to do the test. If you do not perform the test or
if you have trouble with the beacon, you will receive a failure
notification. If that happens, schedule it again (you have six
months to complete the inspection).

The cost of ELT test equipment varies from $5,000 to well over
$15,000 if you include the expense of a screen room, beacon tester,
and antenna analyzer. But even if you buy all this equipment, you
still are not testing all of the ELT system together in the
aircraft where it will be used.

In order to use the system, the 406 MHz ELT must be installed on
the aircraft, the aircraft antenna must have a clear view of
the southern sky (in North America), and you must have registered
the beacon and aircraft properly on the website. Once everything is
in place, you press the "Perform Test" button online and then
perform a self-test on the ELT within 48 hrs. The beacon transmits
the test burst through the Cospas-Sarsat satellite system,
which is the same system which receives the real emergency ELT
alerts, to capture the 406 MHz test bursts.

If successful, you will receive a notification either via SMS
text messaging or email telling of you success. You can then go to
your account and print off and sign the certification form. The
forms are stored in your account in case you ever need to check
them and all of the information you input into the system is
available for next year's testing.